Hey Mum
by bexzilla36
Summary: Neville goes to visit his parents at St. Mungo to tell them about the Battle of Hogwarts and what kind of role he played. He never expected them to listen. One shot.


**Another small one shot, I read this in a head cannon on tumblr and it gave me the idea to write a story. Enjoy(:**

Hey Mum

Mum doesn't talk too much.

Mostly, she'll make a few inaudible noises, cooing words of nonsense. She hasn't said a complete sentence in years, let alone a correct word. Dad's the complete same, in fact I think he's a bit worst. He doesn't move, he'll stare straight at a wall, his eyes glazed over and a bit of drool trailing down his chin. Mum at least shuffles around, trying to communicate. Dad's just...blank. He hasn't known who he was in years. He'll never.

I know they can't recognize me as their son. They probably think I'm another doctor, to check on them or give them some food. Mum is more comfortable with me than Dad, she knows I'm not there to hurt her, Dad though can never be so sure. I'm fine with it, no one can ask too much out of two people who have lost their minds. Yeah, they're far gone, in to their own worlds of peace. Sometimes, I wonder what really goes on when they're looking out in the distance, maybe they're at home, sane as can be. Maybe they're still being tortured senseless.

I hate the Cruciatus Curse.

I hate the pain it can bring, I hate the everlasting scarring it will leave. Why does such a spell even exist? To tear families apart? To derange minds? To laugh in the face of the weak? But it's not funny. There's no point to the spell. No point at all.

But today I'm hear with Gran to visit Mum and Dad. It wasn't a planned trip like all the ones during the year for the holidays. Christmas, New Years, Mother's Day, Father's Day. It was completely random, but I thought, and Gran agreed, they'd both liked to hear the little story of how Voldemort was defeated. How Harry Potter saved us all. And I even helped a little. Yeah, that's a great part. Cutting off that snake's head was the best thing I'd ever done. I wasn't tiny, awkward Neville anymore, I had a cause. I would destroy these bad people, I would never let them put anyone through what my parents had to go through. So I took the sword and swung. Gran's never been so proud. I hope my parents get a kick out of the story. They'll enjoy that.

The walk to their room is always a long, awkward one, but it always feel good to see my parents. Dad's sitting on the floor, staring in to a deep abyss of nothing. Mum's walking around, from wall to wall. When I come in with Gran Mum cracks a goofy smile, but Dad doesn't notice. He doesn't notice really anything anymore. Mum's much more observant. I wonder if she's trying to find a way back to sanity, if she's scared inside her quiet mind. I hope she just laughs.

"Alice, hello," Gran always talks slow, letting Mum absorb every word, "Neville's here, your son, remember?" But she doesn't remember, she's stirring, shaking her head uncontrollably, "He's come to tell you a story." Mum's eyes are trapped on me in such a stare a small shiver goes up my spine. It's so full of...I can't even describe it. There's nothing to describe. It's nothing. Gran gives me a push, "Go on, Neville."

"Oh alright," I give a shaky nod and move towards Mum. Dad's on the floor still, but I know if I move him he'll start to scream. I hate it when he's upset. I think he's screaming the way he did when he was tortured. I let him be, "Hey Mum."

She's still smiling a goofy smile, but her eyes don't match. She has no idea who she is or what's going on, her hair's in a frazzle, greys flying all over her round face. She makes a few grunting noises, but there's nothing to tell, "I've got a story, want to hear?" Mum can't answer me, so I keep going, "There was a bad wizard. His name was Voldemort, maybe you remember him." But she doesn't, "He did a lot of horrible things. He hurt people, and liked to watch people suffer. His...helper, Bellatrix Lestrange hurt you. Dad too. She made your heads hurt and that's why everything's a little different now, why you live here. He came to my school, Hogwarts, you went there. He sent armies of other bad people. A lot of people died that night...and all he wanted was my friend, Harry Potter. We wouldn't let him, we fought for the good. But sometimes bad people get away with very bad things and he was able to hurt Harry." I can't help but gulp at the memories, the dark colors, the blood everywhere. Mum's hands are bopping up and down, a stir she does normally, "He threatened us. He told us he was in control. He told us to join him. I'd never, though. Never. I told him that, too. Harry might have gotten killed, but we would still stand together to bring him down. He put a flaming hat on my head, hurt me real bad, but I'm alive, aren't I? They laughed at me, too. For being...your son. They know what they did to you, but they didn't know how strong I could be. I think that's why I did it, because I'm your son. And they hurt you. They hurt my parents. He couldn't be killed because he hid part of himself in different objects, his snake was the last one. I cut that snakes head off, Mum. With the sword of Godric Gryffindor. I helped stop him. No one expected it, no one at all. And the best part, Harry turned out to be alive and was able to destroy him. The woman who hurt you, Bellatrix, was killed, too. By Molly Weasley. She was vengeful too, for her son who died, killed in the battle. She can't hurt us anymore, she's gone. Voldemort's gone. We're safe." I don't realize my hands are shaking, but it's all so hard. To win such a battle, but still have your parents so damaged. I want them to be okay, I want them normal. But they've been broken, shattered beyond repair. There was no fixing.

My eyes haven't been locked on Mum since the beginning of the story, but I force myself to look at her old, tortured face, "I fought for you both...I won for you both. You're my heroes."

She still looks like she hasn't retained any information I just said, but she uses her stirring hand to point at my face. Then slowly, she brings it to her chest, right where her little heart is and utters, "Proud."

**Hope you enjoyed! Review please(:**


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